1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of apparatus for dispensing cylindrical objects such as tampons wherein a plurality of dispensing compartments each of which is adapted to hold one object to be dispensed are mounted on a carrousel which carrousel is mounted for manual rotation within a housing. Dispensing means of the housing when aligned with a dispensing compartment permit the gravitational discharge of the object stored in the aligned dispensing compartment from the housing. A removable top or cover for the housing facilitates reloading the dispensing compartments from a magazine for objects to be dispensed which magazine is formed as an integral part of the carrousel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art relating to article dispensing apparatus known to the inventor broadly disclose rotating carrousels having a plurality of dispensing compartments adapted to hold one or more of the items to be dispensed and dispensing means which when aligned with a compartment will under certain conditions discharge an object stored in a dispensing compartment. However, the prior art dispensing apparatus are also vending machines which will discharge such an object only after an appropriate amount of money has been inserted into it. As a consequence the prior art apparatus are provided with complex mechanisms to control the dispensing or vending of objects and include means for preventing unauthorized persons from removing coins from such machines or the objects to be dispensed. Such prior art machines because of cost, size, weight and appearance are not appropriate for use in the home where the problems to be solved are to provide an aesthetically attractive dispenser which can store the contents of a package of tampons, can dispense them one at a time, can be conveniently located in the home, is easy to use, is reliable, and the cost to manufacture of which is relatively low.